The Italian Way with Vegetables: Bitter is Better - In Person

A hands-on in-person cooking class culminating in a dinner served with wine and beer. This class is limited to 12 students. See our registration policies here and our rules for in-person events here.

The cooking of Italy celebrates seasonal, truly fleeting produce. Italians have a knack for making simple seem special, and they know how to transform a small basket of vegetables into a feast for a crowd. The slim pickings of winter gardens do not deter Italian cooking instructor Viola Buitoni, who sees the bitterness of chicories, broccoli, and cabbages as just another enhanced flavor profile and is determined to out everyone's inner broccoli lover.

MENU

Crespelle con radicchio e ricotta al rosmarino—Crepes with rosemary scented radicchio and ricotta filling

Scarola e cannellini piccanti—Spicy escarole and cannellini

Fusilli alla crema di cavolfiori e bottarga—Fusilli in cauliflower cream with bottarga

Cicorie in salsa d'acciughe—Chicories in anchovy sauce

Bruschetta di cavolina—Bruschetta with bitter leaves and stalks

This menu contains the following common allergens: Fish, Egg, Tree Nuts, Dairy, Wheat. If you have allergies or dietary restrictions that concern your ability to cook along, please e-mail info@18reasons.org before purchasing a ticket.

Let’s Cook Together! 

Viola Buitoni, chef instructor and food writer, was born in Rome and raised in Perugia, Italy. With stories and knowledge from six generations, her dishes cross the best of California agriculture with the finest Italian food imports. After moving to the US to attend NYU, Viola started Buitoni & Garretti, a catering kitchen and Italian fine foods shop in New York City. She later moved to San Francisco where she began lecturing and teaching Italian food tradition workshops at the SF Italian Cultural Institute and Italian Consulate. She teaches Italian cooking at 18 Reasons, The Civic Kitchen, and Milk Street year-round, and at the Puglia Culinary Center in the summer. In October of 2021, she will lead an immersive fall foraging workshop in Le Marche. She is a regular contributor to La Cucina Italiana US. She lives in the Mission District with her husband, son and tiny dog.

_{Photo by Visual Stories || Micheile on Unsplash}